Tesla has a well-earned reputation for manufacturing excellent EVs that are not only technologically advanced but also extremely fast and rewarding to drive. There are tons of technologies that help Tesla’s most powerful cars achieve their performance potential, and Drag Strip Mode is one of them.
Let’s explore how Drag Strip Mode transforms your Tesla into a quarter-mile monster!
What Is Drag Strip Mode?
Tesla’s Drag Strip Mode is an acceleration mode available on the Model X SUV and the Model S sedan, and it helps turn your Tesla into one ofthe quickest EVs that you can buy. This mode is intended for racetrack use only, and it helps prep yourhigh-performance EVfor the ultimate launch in a competitive setting.
Drag Strip Mode stays enabled for three hours, and while it’s on, it’s constantly working to keep your vehicle’s battery at optimal operating temperatures. In this mode, you’ll hear your vehicle’s cooling fans working overtime to keep important components like the drive units nice and cool (they deliver the most power this way).
When in Drag Strip Mode, the vehicle will allow the battery pack temperature to go above what it normally accepts. This is very important because having your battery primed is extremely important in a race scenario when you need to have the car ready to deliver maximum performance.
Drag Strip Mode has another trick up its sleeve: a special suspension mode that helps get the car off the line quicker. When you activate Launch Mode, the vehicle automatically enters what Tesla calls “cheetah stance,” which lowers the vehicle as if it’s ready to pounce and catapult you forward at insane speeds.
How to Activate Drag Strip Mode
Drag Strip Mode is pretty straightforward to activate. All you have to do is navigate to theControlsmenu and tap onPedals and Steering.Once in the Pedals and Steering menu, all you have to do is tapDrag Strip Modeto turn it on. When you’ve activated Drag Strip Mode, you’ll need to wait until the vehicle displays that it’s Peak Performance Ready. Once the vehicle displays on the instrument panel that it’s Peak Performance Ready, the fun can begin.
With your Model X or S in drive, press hard on the brake pedal with your left foot, and then proceed to press the accelerator pedal all the way down with your right foot.This is the point when the vehicle enters cheetah stance, and if everything is primed, you’ll get a prompt saying “Ready to Launch” and “Cheetah Stance Enabled”, at which point you can release the brake pedal and hold on!
Is Drag Strip Mode Available on the Model 3 and Model Y?
Unfortunately, Tesla’s cheaper vehicles aren’t equipped with the Drag Strip Mode acceleration mode like their higher-end peers. The Model Y and Model 3 are only available with three acceleration modes, which are: Chill, Standard, and Sport.
It’s a shame that Drag Strip Mode isn’t available on Tesla’s cheaper entries, but it’s also understandable considering that the Model Y and the Model 3 aren’t equipped with Tesla’s trick air suspension like the Model X and the Model S are. The air suspension is vital in getting the vehicles into the cheetah stance, so this is a hardware limitation that inhibits Tesla from offering the same acceleration modes for both tiers of vehicles.
The Performance upgrade for the Model Y and the Model 3 still provides tons of go and turns these vehicles intoperformance EVs that would entice a driving enthusiast, so you’re not missing out on too much.
Tesla Still Makes Some of the Best Performance EVs
Tesla makes awesome vehicles; everything from the amazing interior features to the awesome safety tech sets their EVs apart from the competition. This is especially evident when it comes to performance, where all of Tesla’s models shine, even the cheaper ones like the Model 3.
But the Model S and X Plaid are still at the top of the performance EV pecking order, especially with innovative features like Drag Strip Mode that further enhance the acceleration of already extremely fast vehicles.
The Tesla Model S Plaid with Drag Strip Mode is one of two electric sedans that can come close to the Rimac Nevera electric hypercar in terms of acceleration.
Q: Is a Tesla Faster Than a Lamborghini?
Some Tesla models can outperform certain Lamborghinis, thanks to their instant electric torque. However, in terms of top speed and track performance, high-end Lamborghinis often excel. For instance, theTesla Model X Plaid beats the Lamborghini Urus in accelerationbut falls short in top speed.
Q: What Is Tesla Track Mode?
Tesla Track Mode is a driving modethat allows drivers to optimize their Tesla for track or spirited driving. It adjusts settings like suspension, power distribution, and stability control for better handling and control.
Q: What Is the Fastest Tesla Mode Called?
The Ludicrous Mode, available in some Tesla models, delivers maximum acceleration and performance. This mode increases the peak torque and allows for rapid acceleration but at the cost of battery life.
